Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2)(56)

He huffed, a frustrated sound. “Well, the next time I think someone is going to break into your place and rape you, I’ll remember to ask your permission to call the police before I do.” He shook his head her way. “I never thought for a second you would…”

“I would what?” They should get this all out in the open now. “Say what you need to say, Carter.”

His face flushed. “I didn’t think you would get involved so quickly. You seemed like a careful lady. I didn’t think you would hop into bed with the first guy to come along.”

“I’ve been celibate for two years.” She didn’t owe him an explanation, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Her brain was still working on the fact that Owen had left. He’d reminded her about her date and then he’d gone away. It was perverse because it was everything she’d thought she wanted. “I assure you Owen isn’t the first man to come around.”

“That’s because it’s easy for women to find sex,” he said under his breath.

“What?”

His head came up. “It’s easy for a woman to find a man. A man will take anything that comes his way. At least a lesser man will. But if you’re not some muscular caveman, most women won’t even consider you.” He stopped and took a long breath. “I’m sorry. I recently found out some unsavory things about a woman I was interested in and it’s unsettled me.”

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone.” She didn’t want to have this conversation with him, but they had been friendly for the last couple of years.

“She’s one of the doctors at work,” he admitted. “She’s on the nephrology team. She’s not the doctor I thought she was. I won’t go into it, but I don’t like her ethics.”

She’d never worked with that team. “She’s doing something morally wrong?”

He’d flushed again. “It’s a philosophical difference, that’s all. We view the world quite differently, so it won’t work the way I hoped it would. It’s extremely disappointing because I thought she was the one woman in the world who might see the real me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” She wasn’t sure any woman would fit with Carter. He seemed to have incredibly exacting standards. He was excellent at his job, which was why she put up with him, but she’d started to wonder about how he treated the female employees. And she wasn’t stupid. “Careful” wasn’t the word he’d been thinking. She was certain if she’d cracked into his head he’d been shocked that she’d turned out to be such a slut.

He could fuck himself for all she cared, but until she had something on the man to get him removed, she had to work with him.

He shook it off. “It’s fine. I don’t need a woman. So you’re dating that man?”

She was done. “Carter, it’s none of your business. I think we should take a step back because I don’t want to harm our work relationship. And I think I would feel more comfortable if you returned my key and I gave you back yours. I’ll give one to River.”

Hurt was stamped across his face before he managed to clear his expression back to the look of bland arrogance he normally wore. “Of course. If that’s what you think is best. I’ll go get it. After all, you’re the boss.”

He started to move for the door.

She had a sudden thought. “Carter, where were you yesterday around five?”

“I was running errands,” he said. “Why?”

It would be easy enough to check. He would have used his card to get in and out of the building. “Something happened. Someone was hanging around and hid in the cubicals while I was leaving.”

She’d thought about it and decided Owen was right. There was nothing jumpy about her. She didn’t see shadows and think someone was out to get her. Therefore the most probable reason she heard the things she did and felt the way she had was that someone had been in the room with her, someone who hadn’t wanted to be seen.

His lips firmed as he looked back at her. “I certainly wouldn’t be hiding in the cubicals, Dr. Walsh. It’s obvious you think very little of me. Good luck with that man. We’ll see how long he can keep up with you. I’ll bring your key by in a while.”

He threw open the door and two big cops wearing black uniforms and hats with red trim came striding up.

She really should have gotten dressed.





Owen walked into the apartment and frowned Robert’s way. “I want a complete workup on that little fucker who lives next door to her.”

Robert looked up from his cereal and the tablet he’d been reading on. “Jax? He’s not so little, but I agree with the fucker part. After you left, he and River went at it in the kitchen. I walked in to help with the dishes, also because Ezra had started talking about his days in the Agency and he’s way more boring than Big Tag, and they were making out on the island. There was food prepared there. I don’t think that’s sanitary.”

“I’m talking about Carter what’s-his-name.” He should remember the bugger’s name, but right now all he could think about was the fact that the arsehole had talked about Becca like he had some kind of claim on her.

No one did. Certainly not him, and it rankled. It twisted in his gut that she was going on a date with another man this afternoon and there wasn’t a bloody thing he could do about it.